12/19/2025
"It takes light to find light."
Daily Walk
"For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light."
Psalm 36:9
It's the seventh evening of Hanukkah, and the lights are brightly shining for all the world to see. I have a neighbor, a retired military man, who keeps his Christmas lights up all year around, and every evening I anxiously await the darkness so I can see his lights. I've never been one to hang lights outside, mostly because I didn't want the additional expense on my electricity bill. I love those icicle lights that go along the roof and dangle down. I have always wanted to put those around my roof, but until I bought this home, I never had my own roof to hang them on. Maybe once I have my new roof, I can celebrate by hanging lights. Seems like a reasonable thing to do. The holly bushes are half hacked away from the blight that invaded the tree. I'm still trying to prune away the death. I can't decide whether to cut them all down and wait for total regrowth, or to leave the survivors alone. It looks rather pitiful at the present time, but it broke my heart when I had to remove the diseased parts. These are the times I need my parents to instruct me. I haven't been in my own home since I was first married, but we sold it to move to New Mexico, and then my whole world changed. But, that's life, even the sadness. Looking back though, it's been a period of great personal and spiritual growth for me. God truly does work things out for the good when we love Him, and when we are called according to His purpose and not our own. Regardless of what is going on, or what is not going on, I am going to keep my focus on Him.
This morning Pastor Jack shared from 2 Corinthians 6:17-18:
"Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,' says the LORD Almighty."
This goes along with my personal reading of 1 John 1:5-7:
"This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in Him is not darkness at all. So if we say we are His friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from every sin."
I can't think of a better time of the year to talk about light in the darkness, the light of Jesus Christ, because He is the Light. I receive prayer requests from all over this world on a daily basis, and at times the weight of it can be overwhelming, and I have to shut down for a few hours just to recoup. Some people never seem to be affected by the sadness in the world, the heartbreaks. Today I received a phone message from an elder of a church here thanking those who had taken tags from the Angel Tree at church with requests for Christmas, so that the families going through hard times in the area could enjoy Christmas. That always brightens my day, because I love to fulfill someone's Christmas wish if it's within my power to do so. 1 John 3:17-18 reminds us: "But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him - how can God's love be within him? Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions."
Stern words coming from John the Apostle, but the tone of his entire book is so loving and kind, patient yet eager to exhort and encourage, so we can live the life we are called to live as followers of Christ who is the Light of the World.
I remember when things were so tight in my family financially, but we managed to always make things festive. I remember days of popcorn garlands and construction paper ornaments. A nice shiny star made from aluminum foil. When I was pulling out ornaments for my mama's little tabletop tree, I found some precious memories amidst others. Each of my children made paper bells with their school photo glued inside when in elementary school. There was a paper angel with my daughter's face cut from her school photo glued on as the angel. Styrofoam trees and a gingerbread man with half his styrofoam leg missing from all the love all these years. I have a Snoopy made from toilet paper and black magic marker for the ears and eyes, and other fun creatures happily dangling from my little tree. How I love to remember when my children were still little, and laughter filled the home. Things are different now, but I make sure that even when I'm alone, I laugh, and I remember the fun times. Although we feel sadness due to the loss of our loved ones who are no longer here to share the happiness, we can still remember those days of family get togethers and cousins exchanging gifts. One year my sister and our younger cousin were responsible for wrapping the gifts, and one male cousin got a girl's slip by mistake. He didn't complain which is true to his nature, but I can't remember how it turned out. I'll have to ask him the next time I see him.
I've missed a lot from all the years of living in New Mexico, so I have much catching up to do. My family has dwindled down, as happens when we grow older, but we still have our quarterly lunches with my high school chums. That in itself is quite remarkable that we remained friends and in touch over all these years. Many have passed away, but it's still nice just to spend a little time together catching up. Most of my school friends never left the area or migrated back, as I did. Interesting that no matter how near or far, we always manage to connect.
How I wish everyone's lives could be this simple and that people would value life more, value friendships more. Then perhaps there wouldn't be as much discord and hatred in the world. King David expressed the beauty of the blessed unity of the people of God in Psalm 133:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard. The beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing - life forevermore."
Selah.
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